I’ve been plowing through books again and right now, I’m on Sir Ken Robinson’s The Element. Well rooted in this TED video…

Now, this video has virtually become one of the borderline cliché videos in the education forefront. Everyone knows about it or has seen it.
But the book is a much more deeper analysis of many, many stories regarding Robinson’s proposal of the Element, an interphase of desire, senses, creativity, and intelligences that converge to create a happiness and productive super-state.
Concurrently, Robinson also critiques and comments on the current social structures, particularly education, that appear to stifle and disrupt the achievement of the Element.

In essence, Robinson proposes that there is a sweet-spot in the human adventure and life is about finding that.
It’s also similar to Dan Pink’s Johnny Bunko, which I wrote about here.

Right now, I’m somewhere in chapter three, and it’s been a good read.
But for me, I feel as if this is something I’ve always believed in.
Okay, always is probably exaggerating, but I have been in lockstep with Robinson’s argument.

But right now, I wonder… What of multiple Elements?
Robinson argues that there are ‘mediums’ that people enjoy their Elements.
Whether that’s Richard Feynman, Matt Groening, or Paul McCartney, each has found their zones.
But they’ve found them in physics, animation and music.

Except, bringing it to a much more egotistical venue,  I tend to find myself in many mediums.

I love music.
I love photography.
I love teaching (though I will rarely, if ever, admit it).
I love to write.
I love to work on computers.
I love to read.
I love leading & planning.
I love analytics.
I love free expression.

I can find myself working in many areas and enjoying every moment of it.
Yet, I also get stuck in zones.
And I also get bored too.

What is my Element?

I guess I’ll have to read on.